Incurvaria masculella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) Species
Last modified: March 12, 2024, 11:28 a.m.
A common species throughout Belgium.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Incurvariidae > Genus: Incurvaria > Species: Incurvaria masculella
- Vernacular names
- Gewone witvlekmot (NL), Feathered Leaf-cutter (EN), Weißdorn-Miniersackmotte (DE)
- Synonyms
- Incurvaria muscalella (Fabricius, 1787)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Sélys-Longchamps E. 1844. Énumération des insectes Lépidoptères de la Belgique. — Mémoires de la Société royale des Sciences de Liége 2: 1–35. On page 25 (as Incurvaria masculella Wv.). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Bionomics
The egg is laid within the leaf. The young larva makes a circular blotch mine in the leaves of trees or shrubs. Later instars drop to the ground in a case cut from the blotch. This case is subsequently replaced by a bivalved one made from two oval pieces of dead leaf. The caterpillar then eats dead leaves. It hibernates fully-fed in that case. Pupation in early spring in the case amongst leaf-litter.
The moths are active during the day.
Flight periods
One generation a year: from late April till the end of May.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Malus domestica and Prunus mahaleb
- Host plant (genera):
- Crataegus and Rosa
Mainly on the leaves of Crataegus and Rosa, but also on different species of trees and shrubs.
Also egg deposition observed on Malus domestica and on Prunus mahaleb, 2 food plants not mentioned in literature (R. Meert, 2022)
